Not content with bringing in one new forward this summer it seems Arsene Wenger still has designs on another big name striker.
According to Metro the Gunners boss still holds a torch for Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani and is hoping to prise him away from Paris Saint-Germain before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
Wenger is said to be a "huge fan" of the player, and his agent, Claudio Annelluci, has fanned the flames by revealing that he has been approached by Wenger in the past. The striker himself has played down talk of a move, but reports in Spain suggest that Arsenal are still keen.
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The deal hinges on the fate of Angel di Maria, explains Metro. As PSG would only be happy to offload Cavani, valued at around £51m, if a deal for Di Maria can be agreed.
And if that's not enough of a bombshell Wenger has another surprise up his sleeve, as the Daily Star reveals that the Nutty Professor is "considering shock move to land Stephane Mbia" on a free transfer.
The 28-year-old holding midfielder is looking for gainful employment after being released by QPR and the Star says the Cameroon international plays in a position Wenger "believes needs strengthening". Mbia spent last season on loan at Spanish outfit Sevilla, helping them win the Europa League, and it's believed he'd offer his services to the Gunners in return for "a salary of around £60,000 a week". Whether Wenger would be prepared to stump up such a sum remains to be seen, but the Star reasons he could go for Mbia if he fails in his bid to land Real Madrid's Sami Khedira.
According to the Daily Express, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United have received a boost in their pursuit of Marco Reus. The good news is that Bayern Munich have pulled out of the race to sign the Borussia Dortmund winger with boss Pep Guardiola declaring: "[We] don't need any new players... we already have eight midfielders in the squad. Eight! That's enough."
Guardiola's comment quashes speculation that Bayern were poised to table a £20m bid for Reus, who sat out Germany's World Cup campaign with a dodgy ankle. But with Bayern backing out of the hunt, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are jockeying for position, even though the chances of Dortmund selling the 25-year-old are as slim as those of Wayne Rooney becoming one of the great Man United captains. "We have said many times this summer that Reus will not leave," Dortmund chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke said recently. Then again football transfers these days are a bit like boxing promoters – they can change in the blink of an eye.
In other news Goal.com claims an exclusive with a report that Chelsea will "tell Petr Cech to find a new club" in the next fortnight. Apparently Blues boss Jose Mourinho is desperate to shake off the tag he inherited from Arsene Wenger last season as the Premier League's specialist in failure, and to that end he's decided to make Thibaut Courtois his number one keeper this season. The Belgian gloveman has spent the last few seasons on loan with Atletico Madrid but Goal.com says that Mourinho now sees him as the future.
As for Cech, who arrived at the Bridge from Rennes for £7m in 2004, the veteran is said to be arousing interest across the Channel with Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco believed to be "closely monitoring the 32-year-old's situation". If they do decide to swoop goal.com claims that Chelsea will ask around £10m for the shotstopper.
One veteran who ain't going anywhere any time soon is Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany. The Manchester Evening News reports that he has agreed a "five year deal to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2019". With David Silva and Samir Nasri having already signed on for new stints at the club this summer, Kompany's decision to do likewise will delight fans. The 28-year-old expressed his pleasure at the news, telling fans: "This team is stronger now than it's ever been; we have competition for places in every position and a dressing room full of exceptional, motivated people who want to continue making history together."
